Priming system for centrifugal pumps



Febo g C. H. GOYNE PRIMING SYSTEM FOR CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS Filed Aug. 20.1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventos 0a@j @gy/7e a@ ma# Cil Patented Feb, 23,192e.

UNITED STATES .PATENToFFIca CHARLES H. GOYNE, F ASHLAND, PENNSYLVANIA,.ASSIGNOR T0 GOYN E STEAM.'

PUMP CO., OF ASHLAND, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA. l

PRIMING SYSTEM FOR CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS.

. Application sled August 2o, 1925'. 'serial No. 51,449.

` .To all wiz-0m it may concern.'

, 143e it known that l, QHARLES H. GoYNE, a citizen of the ,UnitedStates, residing at Ashland, in the county of Schuylkill and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new` and usefullmprovements inPriming Systems for Centrifugal Pumps, of which thefollowing is aspecification, reference being' had' -to lthe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to priming systems .for centrifugal pumps. i

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which will free the pump of all air and insure a properpriming thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a `device of thischaracter, in

" which. apriming pump is employed. for

exhausting air from the-centrifugal to prime 'the same, a system whichis free from openings and in whichrraccordingly a head of water may bemaintained in priming corresponding to the degree of vacuum produced bythepriming pump, thereby elimif nating surging of the waterin thecentrifu? gal and in connections `between the centrifugal and primingpump.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a' device of thischaracter anovel and improved means for relieving the system as soon asthe centrifugal is started and l pressure pr duced thereby.

A still `further object of the invention is t0 provide yal floatucontrolmeans regulating the application of vacuum produced in the prlming pumpto the centrifugal so constructedI that'it isimpossib-le for-water toenter the priming pump during the priming operation or at any timethereafter.

A still further object'of the invention is to provide means forrelieving the priming column when the centrifugal is started to releaseallv water vconta-ined therein and thereby prepare the system for asecond priming operation.

Theseandother objects I attainl by the construction shown inthe.accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is showna preferred embodiment' of my invention and wherein :--v

, Figure 1 is a'. sideelevation partially diagrammatic showing apumpingsystem con l structed inaccordance with .my mventlon with the parte h1th positive which they lconstruction,` this pum occupy when the pump isprimed and the centrifugal started but not yet under pressure;

Flgure 2l is a vertical sectional View through the. regulator;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the impulsevalve;

Figure 4 is a detail view partially in section of the drain valve. v

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1()generally'` desig nates a centrifugal pump of any suitable being drivenby a motor 1-1 or other suita le .pr-imc mover. In the present instance,the pump is illustrated as a two stage pump of which the impellerchamber of the first stage is indicated-at 12, the impeller casing ofthe second stage at 13 and the cross-over connection of the intake ofthe second stage and the exhaust of the first stage at 14. The numeral15 designates an air pump driven lby a motor 16, the i pump being of anysuitable character.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a regulator 17 including anintake and float chamber 18 within which operates a float 19. The outletof the inner chamber `communicates with a lever through the walls ofwhich is directed a shaft 21 upon which is pivoted a lever, 22,

Qne end of which is connected by a link 23 with the float ball 19.

The lever chamber has projecting there-` into above the opposite end ofthe lever 21 the Walls 24 of an outlet passage 25. In alignment with theend of the lever, these walls have formed therein openings 26 in whichoperate a cylindrical valve element 27 pivotally connected to theopposite end of the lever, as at 28. This valve has its ends closed, vasindicated at 29, and is provided with a central partition 80 spaced fromthe upper end wall 29 a distance equal to the spacing of the walls 24 ofthe outlet 25.

Adjacent each end partition, the walls of the valve have formedvtherein.openings 31 and upon opposite sidescf the central partition have formedtherein openlngs 32.

When the valve is in the open position, the' openings 31 and 32 at eachside of the partition are arranged upon opposite sides of the walls-24so that the lever chamber is in communication with the outlet and theinlet is-likewise in communication with-the outlet' When, however, theball 19 rases Wlthchamber 20 in the chamber 18, the Walls 29 and 30align with the walls 24 and the outlet 25 is sealed from the leverchamber 20 and inlet and float chamber`18. I further provide. what Iterm an impulse valve 33, this valve com?,

prising la casing having main and secondary inlets 34 and 33 and anoutlet 36. Between the inlet 34 and outlet 36 a valve seat 37 isarranged facingl toward the inlet and this seat has operating 'thereintheguide 38 of a valve 39 for coaction with the seat 37. The

for placing either inlet 34 or 35 in coinmuni.

cation with the outlet 36.

`In making the connection for employing my pumping system, the inlet 34of the valve 33 is connected with the high point ofthe impeller casingof the high pressure stage of the pump or in the present instance withthe high point of the impeller casing 13 by a conduit 42. The remaininghigh points `of the pump are connected with this conduit 42 by conduits43, each having arranged therein a check valve 44, such a conduit 43being supplied for each of thel low pressure stages and for thecross-over vconnection 14. The outlet 36 of the valve 33 is connectedwith the intake port of the intake chamber 18 by a ,conduit 45. Thisconduit y has preferably arranged therein a T 46 communicating with avertical leg 47, the lower end of which has an outwardly Opeliing checkvalve 48, the purpose of which will presently appeai. The exhaust passage` 25 ofthe regulator is connected with the intake of the pump' 15 by aconduit 49.

In the use of the device, thefpump 15 being in operation, a vacuum iscreated in the conduits 49, 45, 42 and since the'checkA fvalves 44opentoward the conduit 42 in the A conduits 43 and accordinglyin all ofthe. high points of the centrifugal, this vvacuum `causes Water. to riseinto the centrifugal and conduit 45 until it engages with the float 19and elevates the same suliciently to cause closing` of the valve 27.This immediately cuts off the vacuum of lthe ump 15 and the water ceasesto rise but i-nvevent any air should leak about thestufiing boxes of thecentrifugal and enter the same before the centrifugal is started andthus permit the 00 water level to lower in the float chamber' 18, thevalve will be immediately opened and the suction brought into operationto restore the Water to its proper level. Starting of 'I vthecentrifugal is referably but not neces- .eerily aecemplshe by mais et atwitch generally designated lat 50, and operated from an arm 51 securedto the pivot shaft 2] of the lever 22. When the pump is start-1 ed,pressure generated Within thel pump will act through the c'onduit 42upon the valve 39, vcausing this valveto close and the valve 40 to openso that the conduit 45 is'removed from communication with thecentrifugal and placed in communication with the atmosphere.' Since theconduit 42 ,is under pressure from the high stage, the 'pressuregenerated Within this conduit will cause the check preferably providedfor it prevents passage of wa er over the centrifugal and its possiblecontact with a switch 52, the vpurpose of which is now to be described.

The switch 52 is an ordinary closed circuit jack switch; the movable arm53 of which is arranged in the path of movement -of a continuation 54ofthe stem \41 above the upper end of the valve 40. When the valve is inits raised position and disengaged from its'. seat, this" continuationoperatively engages the arm 53 to open the circuit of the switch 52;This switch is arranged in one side of a Vmotor circuit 55 of the motor16 and' accordingly this motor circuit is broken when the valve 40 isopened and the pump 15- is brought to a stop. This motor circuit 55vpreferably further includes a handoperated switch 56 by means of whichthecircuit may be manually broken.

It will be seen that'with the-construction employed, it is not possiblefor any of the priming water to reach the pump 15 and this is animportant feature of the construction for the reason that devices ofthis character are usually employed in pumping the sump of mines andaccordingly the Water being, handled is very dirty and capable ofcausing` considerable damage to a small pump of this character. It willfurthermore be obvious that a perfect prime of the centrifugal willA bemaintained at allt'iines when the pump 15 is in operation and that thesystemV employed f provides an eiiicient drain for. removing thevpriming,Walter after each priming operation v to preparethe system fora further operation. -Attention is directed to the fact that by reasonof the construction` and mounting awarethat systems somewhat" resemblingthe system hereinbefore set forth have been em- -ployed but in gill ofthese systems with which the float operated valve to act in devices ofthe character disclosed byr Lorenz to relieve the suction of the primingpump after the centrifugal has been started and in event the primingpump continues in operation. It will be noted that in theconstruction'in accordance with my invention, after the portion ofthepriming connection'between the valve 33 and regulator 1T has beenrelieved through the valve 40, the valve 27 will be opened by thedischarge of water from this portion of the connection and since thisportion of the connection is then opened to the atmosphere,the pump 15will be relieved. The valve 27, therefore, serves after the operation ofthe impulse valve 33 as an unloader valve. This valve is never subjectedto the pressure ofthe discharge from the centrifugal and is accordinglyfreely operable at all times. 4

The construction hereinbefore set forth is obviously capable of acertain range of change and modification without materially' departingfrom the/spirit of the invention andl I accordingly do not limit myselfto the specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. In a priming systeln for centrifugals and in combination witha centrifugal, a

`priming pump f therefor. a connection be-' tween a high point of thecentrifugal and the priming pump including a valve automaticallysegregating the centrifugal and priming pump when the centrifugal 1sprimed and before it is started and means in said connection between thecentrifugal and valve automatically segregating the centrifugal andvalve. when the centrifugal is started and placing that portion of theconnection between said means and valve in communication with theatmosphere.

2. In a priming system for centrifugals and in combination with acentrifugal. a priming pump therefor. a connection between a high pointof the centrifugal and the priming pump including a Valve automaticallysegregating the centrifugal and priming pump when the centrifugal isrimed and before it is started and means 1n said connection between thecentrifugal and valve automatically segregating the centrifugal andvalve when the centrifugal is started and placing that portion if theconnection between said means and valve iu con'imunication with theatmosphere and rendering the priming pump inoperative.

3. In a priming system for centrifugals and in combination with acentrifugal` a priming pump therefor, a connection between a high pointofthe centrifugal and the 4priming pump including a `valve automaticallysegregating the centrifugal and priming pump when the centrifugal isprimed and before it is started, means in said connection between thecentrifugal and valve automatically 'segregating the centrifugal andvalve when the centrifugal is started and placing that portion of theconnection be tween said means and valve in communication with theatmosphere and means operative to drain said portion of the connectionwhen placed in communication with the at mosphere, the first named valveoperating as an unloader valve for the priming pump when said portion ofthe connection is drained.

4. In a pump system, a centrifugal pump, a priming pump therefor, abalanced float operated valve arranged in the connection between saidpumps and an impulse valve' arranged in said connection between thefloat operated valve and the centrifugal pump and operated by pressuregenerated by the centrifugal pump to close communication between thecentrifugal pump and the fioat operated valve and to place the portionof the connection between the float and impulse valves intocommunication with the atmosphere and means draining said portion of theconnection when placed in communication with the atmosphere.

5. In a pump system, a centrifugal pump, a priming pump therefor` abalanced float operated valve arranged in the connection between saidpumps and an impulse valve arranged in said connection between the floatoperated valve'and the centrifugal pump and operated by pressuregenerated b v the centrifugal pump to close communication between thecentrifugal pump and the float operated valve -and to place the portionof the connection between the float and impulse valves intocommunication with the atmosphere and means draining said portion of theconnection when placed in communication with the atmosphere, said floatoperated valve opening to place the priming pump in comn'iunication withsaid portion of the connection when said portion of the connection isdrained to thereby relieve the priming pump upon continued operationthereof.

In a priming system for centrifugals and in combination with acentrifugal. priming pump therefor, a connection between a high point ofthe centrifugal and 'the priming pump including a valve automaticallysegregating the centrifugal and priming lpump when the centrifugal isprimed and before it is started, means in said connection between thecentrifugal. 7^and vakje automatically segregating the centrifugml andvalve when the centrifugal is started comprising a casing having aninletr comn'mnicating With the high point of the centrifugal, a secondinlet communicating with the atmosphere, an outlet communi-v cating withthe first named valve andy valves for controlling said inlets connectedfor simultaneous ope "ation, l

7. ln a pump system, a centrifugal pump, n priming pump therefor, aValve arranged in the connection between said pumps, a float foroperating the valve, an impulse valve arranged in said connectionbetween the first named Valve and the centrifugal pump automaticallyclosing as the centrifugal comes into operation, a motor for operatingthe priming pump, a circuit for the motor including a normally closedswitch and means operated by the closing of the impulse valve. foropening said switch.

In testimony whereof I signature.

CHARLES H. GOYNE.

hereunto affix lmy

